Willis Named to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List
8/19/2021 2:30:04 PM | Football
Liberty’s Malik Willis has added another preseason watch list to his 2021 resume as he has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list.
The Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class.
The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipients are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field.
The 2021 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas, Jr., at the Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Md., on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Over the last several weeks, Willis has also been named to several preseason award watch lists: CFPA National Performer of the Year Award, Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, Maxwell Award, Reese’s Senior Bowl and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Willis finished 2020 as the No. 1 rushing quarterback in the country. He led all FBS quarterbacks with 944 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Willis set school records in both statistical categories for a quarterback with his standout totals.
The native of Atlanta, Ga., finished his first season under center for the Flames completing 170-of-265 passing attempts for 2,260 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Willis captured a series of honors during his first season on the field for the Flames in 2020. He was a Phil Steele Postseason All-America (honorable mention team member), Dudley Award winner (top player in Virginia as presented by the Richmond Times-Dispatch), Davey O'Brien Award Quarterback Class of 2020 member, VaSID Offensive Player of the Year and was named to several national honors watch lists (CFPA National Performer of the Year, Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, and the Maxwell Award).
Willis led the Flames in total offense (3,204 yards), passing yards (2,260) and passing touchdowns (20) in 2020, while finished the year No. 7 in the country in rushing touchdowns and No. 16 in rushing yards.
Willis helped Liberty to a season of "firsts" in 2020, including the team’s first-ever national ranking, first win over an ACC opponent, the best start in school history (8-0 to start 2020), first-ever win over a top-25 FBS program and back-to-back bowl game wins.
Liberty defeated a pair of ACC foes in Syracuse and in-state opponent Virginia Tech. The two wins made Liberty the first non-Power 5 team to post a pair of wins over ACC schools in the same season since Houston in 2015.
The Flames finished the season with a 10-1 record, tying the program's record for wins in a season (Liberty finished the 2008 season with a 10-2 record).
Liberty finished the campaign ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press poll and No. 18 in the Amway Coaches Poll, the highest year-ending FBS rankings in school history.
Liberty capped off the 2020 season with a thrilling 37-34 overtime win over No. 9/11 Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl on Dec. 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The win marked Liberty's first-ever victory over a FBS top-25 ranked program.
2021 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Luke Anthony, Louisiana Tech
Brennan Armstrong, Virginia
Hank Bachmeier, Boise State
Connor Bazelak, Missouri
Jake Bentley, South Alabama
Charlie Brewer, Utah
Chase Brice, Appalachian State
Anthony Brown, Oregon
Braxton Burmeister, Virginia Tech
Sean Chambers, Wyoming
Sean Clifford, Penn State
Jack Coan, Notre Dame
Matt Corral, Ole Miss
Dustin Crum, Kent State
Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Jayden Daniels, Arizona State
JT Daniels, Georgia
Tommy DeVito, Syracuse
Jarret Doege, West Virginia
Max Duggan, TCU
Dillon Gabriel, UCF
Chase Garbers, California
Jarrett Guarantano, Washington State
Sam Hartman, Wake Forest
Bailey Hockman, Middle Tennessee
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Sam Howell, North Carolina
Tyler Johnston III, UAB
Emory Jones, Florida
Phil Jurkovec, Boston College
D'Eriq King, Miami
Devin Leary, NC State
Levi Lewis, Louisiana
Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
Graham Mertz, Wisconsin
McKenzie Milton, Florida State
Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Dylan Morris, Washington
Bo Nix, Auburn
Michael Penix, Jr., Indiana
Brandon Peters, Illinois
Spencer Petras, Iowa
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
Drew Plitt, Ball State
Jack Plummer, Purdue
Brock Purdy, Iowa State
Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma
Chris Reynolds, Charlotte
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Anthony Russo, Michigan State
Tyler Shough, Texas Tech
Kedon Slovis, USC
Nick Starkel, San Jose State
Carson Strong, Nevada
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
Casey Thompson, Texas
Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Clayton Tune, Houston
Kyle Vantrease, Buffalo
Malik Willis, Liberty
Terry Wilson, New Mexico